12
Tried forge welding a railroad spike with wet coal.
Sparks flew everywhere and the spike looked like a melted lollipop. Learned the hard way that dry fuel matters. Anybody else have a coal moisture disaster?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
michael88011d ago
Used to think coal was coal and moisture didn't matter that much. This post changed my mind real quick, your mileage may vary but I'm definitely drying my fuel first from now on.
0
anthony_lane5511d ago
Thing that gets me @michael880 is people don't realize dried coal burns way hotter and cleaner, but the real hidden benefit is how much less ash and clinker you end up with. Wet coal smolders and cakes up in the firebox, creates all that sticky crap that eats away at your grate bars over time. Drying it out first turns that damp, lazy flame into a real, sharp heat that actually pushes through the stove instead of just smoking up the glass. Plus if you're running a boiler or a forge, wet fuel steals like 15% of your BTUs just to boil off that moisture before you even get any work done. Nobody talks about the long-term wear and tear on your equipment though, that wet coal slurry is basically sandpaper for your firebox.
2